Pumpkin Patch

Forgive me while I try and catch up on the last few months of out lives.  You'll see a lot of backdated posts.

Right before Halloween we decided we should get the kids some pumpkins.  Life has been a little crazy with Josh working two jobs, and we didn't think about pumpkins.  Luckily Josh had the Friday before Halloween off and we went to a pumpkin patch.

We loved watching these little monsters going through the small maze.  Except when Michael got lost for a total of 5 seconds and started screaming his head off.

We let them pick out their own pumpkins.  Michael's first pick was a 20lb pumpkin.  Luckily he changed his mind to a small 2 pounder he could carry around.  He also picked out a pumpkin for Ethan.  Elli, in true Elli fashion, ran way into the middle of the field and carried her little pumpkin back to us.  Ethan just hung out and ate my hair.

One of my favorite pictures of all time

Picasso

I rarely let my kids do any art projects.  I should let them do more, but honestly it's just a pain in the butt.  Elli is constantly eating crayons or sucking the juice out of markers.  Michael is yelling at her not to do it.  Ethan isn't content to sit and watch from his high chair.  One or more kids needs a nap.  One or more kids is hungry.  Half the time they need a bath right after.  I have to strip them down so they don't ruin their clothes, but they scream about not wearing anything.  You get the idea.  It's suddenly not fun and more of a chore for everyone involved.

A while ago I posted about how I didn't let Elli color for a long time.  I've let her color more, to the detriment of multiple markers.  We've had fun.  Really, we have.  Especially the next day when I change her diaper and discover she must have ate another crayon when I ran to get more paper.  Thank goodness Crayola is non-toxic.

I'm gearing up to start Michael in Preschool really soon (this is a post for another day though) and decided he needed a little more work with artistic things before I start doing crafts all day long.  So I let him paint.  I bought a ten pack of paints and found a day where Michael woke up from his nap before Elli.   He did great.  He loved painting and even got the concept of dipping the paint brush in water between colors.

His favorite thing to paint was Mike Wazowski.  As you can see he had me paint one in the corner.  He did have a problem with painting so much in the same area that the paper ripped.  Hopefully that will get better.

After he got the concept I decided to let Elli try the next day.

It's hard to tell from this picture, but there is a streak of brown paint coming out the side of her mouth.  Ten minutes later her paper wasn't painted any more than pictured, her face was yellow, and her paper plate had some pretty rainbow swirls.  How do I get this child to stop eating markers/crayons/paint/dirt??

Now the kids ask to paint every day.  Maybe I should have thought this through a little more first, but I like my wall covered in Picasso's of Mike Wazowski.

Attitude

This pretty little girl is full of so much attitude.  Luckily she's still little enough that it's been more cute than frustrating.  Believe me, we are scared for her to hit the terrible two's.  Until then, we'll enjoy the cuteness her little attitude brings.

4 months

At least I took these pictures on the day he was four months, even if it took me over a week to upload them.  I also lost the "4" I used with the other two, so I had to come up with something else.

It's hard for me to think that 1/3 of Ethan's first year is gone.  How could it be gone already?  When did he get so big?  I miss my snuggly newborn.  Oh well, he's still adorable.

Here's what Ethan's been up to:

• Growing like crazy.  He weighs 13lbs 6oz and is 24" long.
• Working on tummy time.  He pushes himself around in circles and holds his head up really well.
• Sitting in the Bumbo.  He loves the Bumbo.  Here's proof that he's loved it for a long time:

Just napping

• Babbling.  He talks a lot (just like his siblings).  He says consonants every now and then, like the other day Elli was making farm animal sounds and Ethan threw in a few moo's.
• Getting kissed.  By everyone.  Michael has to give him multiple kisses a day or he gets upset.  Elli kisses him before bed every night.  With the giant cheeks of his who wouldn't want to kiss him?
• Enjoying getting out.  Instead of always falling asleep everywhere we go he's been staying awake long enough to experience the zoo, stores, parks, and seeing firefighters.

Overall this little guy is doing amazing.  We're happy this cutie is part of the family.

A month later....

I keep meaning to blog, and then I forget, or Josh takes the computer on a business trip, and it doesn't happen.

So I'll try to blog a little more, until then, here are a few pictures

Michael does puzzles all the time

Do they look alike?

Naptime snuggles

We call this goggle butt.  Michael is constantly doing it and running around.

Fun piggies

More baby smiles :)

Ethan's blessing

I'm a little behind but we blessed Ethan at the beginning of the month.  It was a great blessing and Ethan was quiet through it, even when he lost his binky at the end.  Afterwards we had a bunch of desserts at our house.  Because I'm feeling just a little sleep deprived I'll just leave you with some cute pictures.

This was our best family picture, yes, that's Michael upside down

We'll call this good

 

At least he made up for ruining the family picture

Her too

Dirt lovers

I thought no one would love dirt as much as Michael.  Well I was wrong.

She was actually on her stomach waving her hands and legs around making dirt angels.  She also eats dirt.  A LOT of dirt.  At least she's getting her minerals.

Lagoon

Last week Josh's office had a Lagoon day and we ventured out with the kids.  As to be expected they LOVED it!  Unfortunately, our camera died after taking 2 pictures.  Oh well, at least they were cute pictures.

Outings

Having a baby in the Summer has been so much different than the Winter.  When I had Michael I didn't go anywhere for weeks.  I remember seeing people at Thanksgiving and Christmas, that's it.  With Elli I remember going out a little bit more, but I still felt shut-in.  With Ethan I can go places!  It shouldn't make me that happy, but it does.  I need the vitamin D.

We've gone shopping quite a bit and out to eat a couple of times.  We went to the zoo and the temple

We've been swimming in our pool, gone to the splash pad, and gone to 7 peaks.

We had a day of running errands which included getting Elli and Ethan's birth certificate.  Michael handed me this little beauty after coloring on it.

This week I ventured out on a play date at the splash pad, I've taken the kids to the park, gone to Costco and Walmart, and went out to lunch with my mom.

It really has been so great to get out!

That awkward moment...

...when you spill your water in a way that makes you look like you peed your pants

But she found it hilarious

Why so serious?

My little Joker in the making.  On second thought, maybe I shouldn't have watched so much batman when she was little.